The
instructor will assemble a group of texts that will allow students
to meet the objectives and specifications of the course. No specific
texts are required.

Course
description

An in-depth study
of some aspect of literary criticism or critical theory in its historical,
ideological, and/or cultural contexts. The topic for this course varies.
May be repeated for credit as topic varies.

A further specific
description pertaining to this section of the course may be added.

Graduate
Course Goals

Students
will, depending upon the seminar topic,

demonstrate an
enhanced familiarity with the emergence and development of a particular
theoretical approach to literary criticism; and/or

demonstrate an
awareness of the specific cultural, historical, economic, and aesthetic
determinants that contextualize the figure, methodology, or school under
discussion; and/or

understand the
relationship between the particular field of study and the broader discipline-specific
issues that situate it; and/or

demonstrate familiarity
with the positions of both practitioners and critics of the ideas and
methods under consideration.

In addition,

Students will
recognize the implications and applications of the ideas and methods
of the seminar and will reveal their understanding by demonstrating
both oral and written facility in applying the seminar material to the
critical analysis of literary and cultural texts.

Students will
be capable of conducting independent and meaningful course-related research
and synthesizing it in the form of a correctly documented research paper
prepared according to current professional standards.

Graduate
Program Goals

This course prepares
students to complete successfully the comprehensive oral examination
that is required for all M.A. degree candidates.

This course provides
students with literary, historical, and critical contexts related to
texts on the department's required reading list.

Oral presentations
in the course strengthen students' presentation skills and prepare them
further for the oral comprehensive examination which is required for
the M.A. degree.

Gaining further
knowledge of texts in this area strengthens students' content area knowledge,
prepares them for taking nationally recognized standardized examinations
(such as the advanced GRE subject examination in English), and further
prepares them for careers in teaching, writing, and business or advanced
graduate-level study.

Other policy statements
specific to this class should be included on the syllabus.

A detailed calendar
of readings and assignments should be made available to the class at
the first class meeting. A copy should be posted electronically and
kept on file in the English department office.

Students should
be expected to come to class, prepared and able to participate.

MLA style should
be emphasized and required on out-of-class essays.

Last
updated
8-9-04
--Email Susan Holland with
problems or questions about the site.